You know how finding time to get everything done is a challenge? Some days I wish I could add more hours to my day.
Leaders living with intention and focus maximize their time.
Living in a Busy World
But in our world this is not easy. Our information age clutters our minds with information. Each day we are presented with many options to choose from of how to spend our time. Saying “no” vanishes from our vocabulary as if it’s a four letter word!
Women are busy. Some days just looking at my calendar makes me feel Claustrophobic.
How about you? Have you ever felt that way? Are you feeling that right now?
This week was one those weeks that was completely unproductive. I was not able to get back with people who called me. There was no personal satisfaction in completing my to-do list – IT GREW! Like walking on a treadmill with the highest incline, I felt like I was striving hard yet could not see myself really going anywhere. Frazzled, weary, and worn out with no traction to reach my goals, I was frustrated.
God Wants Us to Release Clutter
Our bodies are not designed to carry the weight of craziness that is going on in our world. God does not expect us to carry every load. Releasing loads helps us to carry what matters most to God’s heart and live with intention.
Releasing clutter creates room to receive God’s best so you can live directed instead of distracted and make a difference.
Understand this principle of releasing to receive and live with joy. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is sending out His disciples, and He gives them these important instructions:
“The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.” Luke 10:1-4
Using this passage, the Holy Spirit highlighted four areas in my life to release to receive God’s best:
- Release stuff. The disciples were being told to leave everything behind. Too much stuff clutters our lives. There is a joy in releasing things so that you can receive more time in your life. Pick a closet and get going!
- Release good works that may not be God’s work. Stuff was not the only thing the disciples were asked to leave behind, they had to leave their prior obligations to pursue their God-given purpose. Release obligations in your life that may be good things, but might not be your God thing. So often we take up so much in the name of “good” we lose hold of the what God actually wants us to be holding and working on.
- Release tasks through delegation. The disciples were sent out two by two. Give things to other people who will be able to do the job better and with their full heart. I have to keep learning this one – you know to take off my self-sufficient super woman cape and live in community like God has called us to do! Delegation is wisdom not weakness.
- Release Social Media until you reach your first goals of the day. Jesus told the disciples “And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.” That instruction caught my attention. Was Jesus saying that they were supposed to be anti-social? NO! Jesus was not advocating to be anti-social but He was telling His disciples to live with focus so they could reach their destination. Often my phone with tweets, Facebook posts, Instagram, texts that can derail me. Little yesses can lead to large distractions. The Lord used this passage to say to me: in the morning put your phone away, spend time in my presence, accomplish your first priority to do item and then get your phone!
Wise women live with intention by releasing to receive. Learn more by listening to today’s audio message below.
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Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.
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